I’m not sure where to begin to describe our time in Tokyo. It’s unlike anywhere I’ve ever been, in the best way. We felt like we were outsiders looking in on a Wes Anderson film. It’s impossible to see and do it all because it’s so massive. With that in mind, we didn’t pressure ourselves into going too hard. Tokyo was our final stop on our 3 week trip around Asia, and it has us itching to come back. Here are the highlights:

Eat:

Ichiran Ramen in Shinjuku | Bricolage for fresh pastries | Sushi Masashi for a Michelin Omakase experience

Drink:

Golden Gai – this is an area of 500+ teeny tiny little bars. Most of them allow smoking inside, but we stumbled upon a gem of a natural wine bar called Pitou that I can’t recommend enough. We made friends with everyone inside (you kind of have to, you’re basically sitting in a large closet). | Ginza Music Bar – a fun spot to post up with a view overlooking the Ginza neighborhood | New York Bar – this is a rooftop bar on top of the Park Hyatt. There’s live jazz music every night and it’s a really cozy, fun vibe

Shop:

Go check out the scene in Harajuku. We went to the Sanrio store to live out my childhood dream and it was a highlight for sure. | Beams is a perfectly curated department store. It’s beyond chic with recognizable and new-to-me labels. Something for everyone | Daikanyama T-site is a cool concept shopping plaza. The bookstore is incredible; I could have spent all day there. | Shibuya neighborhood (where Daikanyama T-site is) – tons of stylish, understated boutiques. I loved walking around this neighborhood, it felt more quaint and quiet than the rest. | Ginza neighborhood for big box and luxury stores. You’ll find everything here!

Stay:

Park Hyatt – this hotel is iconic because Lost in Translation was filmed here and it hasn’t changed since. It has a nostalgic feeling. The entire city kind of has that feeling.

Tokyo is so cool and still such a mystery to me. I can’t wait to go back to Tokyo and explore more of Japan.